Machine for attaching ignition bands to cigarettes



v May 14, 1940- A. H. Fox

MACHINE FOR AT'TQACHING IGNITIN BANDS TO CIGARETTES 'Filed oct. 27, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l nllllllllllllllll Illlllllllill May 14, 1940. Y A H, FOX 2,200,420

MACHINE FOR ATTAQHING IGNITION BANDS TO CIGARETTES Filed Oct. 27, 1 936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. H. FOX

May 14, 1940.

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING IGNITION BANDS T0 CIGARETTES Filed Oct. 27, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 14, 194@ NETE@ STATES eine@ garant sticas MACHINE FOR ATTACHING IGNITION I BANDS TO CIGARETTES Ansley H. Fox, Pleasantville, N. J., assigner to Inventions Holding Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 27,

11 Claims.

described and illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation as viewed from the right-hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line fil-ll, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing details of the drive mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a detail of the mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the double lengthcigarette blank with band attached, and

Fig. 8 is a View in perspective illustrating the manner in which the banded blank shown in Fig. 7 is separated to produce the nished article.

With reference to the drawings, the machine illustrated therein as an .embodiment of my invention` comprises a hopper l adapted to hold a suitably large number of cigarette blanks each consisting in effect of a cigarette of twice the conventional length. These blanks are shown in Fig. 1 and are identified by the reference numeral 2. Preferably the width of the hopper is only slightly greater than the length of the individual blank, and the bottom wall 3 of the hopper inclines downwardly from opposite sides toward a central sump one wall of Vwhich is formed by a depending portion fl of the hopper.

The opposite wall of the sump is formed in effect by the periphery of a roller 5. this roller being carried by a shaft 6 suitably journaled in the frame 'l of the machine and having axially extending peripheral grooves as illustrated. The blanks 2 are prevented from falling freely from the sump by disk wheels il, 3, the peripheries oi which are recessed to form in leiect sockets 9 of a size to neatly receive the individual blanks 2, the said recesses oi the respective wheels being aligned in the axial direction. As the wheels 8 are rotated, as `hereinafter described, the individual blanks, entering the recesses 9 by gravity, are withdrawn successively from the hopper. It will be noted that the peripheries of the wheels Band roller 5 are contiguous and that 1936, Serial No. 107,883

(C1. ISI- 95) the roller 5 which is rotated, by means hereinafter described, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 and in a direction reverse to the indicated rotation of the wheels' 8 functions to push the cigarette blanks away from the juncture of the roll and wheels, and thereby preventsl the blanks from being pinched at the juncture. A curved baille plate li extending from a point adjoining the periphery of the roll 5 to a point adjacent the bottoms of the wheels 3 closely embraces the peripheral surfaces of the latter and prevents the blanks entrained in the recesses 9 from falling by gravity from the latter until they have reached a point approximately at the bottom of the wheels. carried by a shaft l2 which is suitably journaled in the frame l of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Immediately below the wheels 8 is an endless conveyor consisting, as shown in Figs. v1, 2 and 3, of spaced chains i3, i3, which chains engage and are supported by sprockets la and i5. The sprockets it which 'support the chains at one end are carried by a shaft l5 journaled in the frame; While the sprockets it which support the opposite ends of the chains are individuallyl supported, as shown in Fig. 3, on axially aligned stub shafts Il, il, which are journaled in bosses I8 extending inwardly iromopposite sides of the frame. This mode of supporting the sprockets i6 is adapted/to leave the space between the sprockets free and lunobstructed for a purpose hereinafter set forth; Certain of the links of the chains i3, designated by the reference numeral l, are in the form of sockets of a size to vreceive and neatly embrace the cigarette blanks 2, and these socket-links i9 of the .respective chains are uniformly spaced throughout the lengths of the chains andare transversely aligned so as to be capable of supporting theo-pposite ends of each individual blank 2, as best Yshown in Fig. 3. The 'upper run of the'conveyer constituted vby the chains i3, i3 passes closely below the wheels 8, and the wheels and chains are so synchronized that asV each of the blanks 2 leaves its recess in the wheels, which normally occurs when the blank clearsthe lower end of the bailie il, one set of the sockets I9 of the chains i3, i3 is in position to receive the blank. In normal actuation of the mechanism, each of the sockets i9, I9 as it passes directly The wheels 8 are' I under the wheels 8 receives a cigarette blank 2, so that the wheels 8 function in eiect to feed"r the blanks from the hopper to the sockets of the chains I3, i3.

As the upper runs of the chains I3, |3 advancing in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 pass downwardly around the sprockets I4, I4, the blanks are prevented from falling from the sockets I9 by means of a baille plate 2| which closely embraces the sprockets I4 and the conveyer. This baffle 2| extends from a point adjacent the bottom of the wheels 8 to a point below the sprockets I6. I'he upper end. i. e., that end which adjoins the wheels 8, is formed with an upwardly projecting lip 22 which projects into the space between the wheels and constitutes a positive ejector insuring release of the blanks 2 from the sockets 9 and the deposition of these blanks in the sockets of the conveyor chains I3. The lower extremity of the baille 2 I, i. e., that end which underlies the sprockets IE, is in the nature of an extension which is hinged at 23 to the fixed portion of the baille 2| and is adapted as hereinafter described to be forced downwardly from the normal position, in which it is shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, to a relatively depressed position as shown in broken lines in this same figure and as more clearly shown in Fig. 6. In this latter gure, the hinged extremity of the baffle 2| is indicated by the reference character 2|a.. With reference to this latter gure, it will be noted that the fixed portion of the baffle 2| is provided with a centrally projecting tongue 24 which projects beyond the pivot 23 and into a correspondingly formed recess 25 in the hinged extension 2| a. A spring 2U on the under side of the baille 2|, see Figs. 1 and 6, functions normally to maintain the hinged extension 2 Ia in the normal elevated position.

Projecting into the space between the sprockets I6, I6 and to a position overlying the hinged extension 2|`a of the bailie 2| is one end of an endless belt 26. This belt is supported at one end, i. e., that end which projects between the sprockets I6, I6 upon a roller 21, which roller is journaled upon a shaft 28 supported and extending between a pair of arms 29. 29. 'I'hese arms 29 extend in substantial alignment with the conveyer chains I3, I3 and are secured at their opposite ends for oscillation to a rock shaft 3| suitably journaled in the frame of the machine. Also secured to the shaft 3| is a lever 32 which extends forwardly and carries a roller 33 for engagement with the periphery of a cam 34. This cam thereby serves to support the arms 29 and to afford said arms a predetermined oscillatory movement about the shaft 3|. Journaled on the shaft 3| between the arms 29 is a roller 35 which supports the end of the belt 26. The belt 26 preferably is made of resilient rubber and functions for a purpose hereinafter described.

Immediately below the outer end of the hinged extension 2Ia of the baille 2|, and as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, is mounted a perforated roll 36. This roll constitutes in effect the enlarged terminal end of a hollow shaft 31 which is suitably journaled in the framework of the machine. An inner hollow shaft 38 extends through the shaft 31 and has at its inner end a valve element 39, see Fig. 3, which occupies a position within the perforated roll 3B. The outer end of the shaft 38, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected by a flexible tube 4I to a suitable source of suction (not shown), and this suction imposed upon the hollow shaft 38 is also imposed through the radial valve passage 42 upon approximately 180 of the periphery of the perforated roll 36, the valve 39 functioning to exclude the suction from the remaining 180 of the perforated roll surface. A

strip 43 of ignition composition is passed to the perforated roll 36 from a roll 44 of said strip material suitably supported in the mlachine, and is held tightly against the perforated roll 36 by suction imposed on the interior of the latter as previously described. In passing to the roll 3G, the strip 43 contacts an adhesive applicator wheel 45 which is carried by a shaft 46 extending trans versely of an adhesive pot 41, said wheel engaging the under side of the strip 43 and functioning to apply a suitable adhesive in which the said wheel is immersed to the surface of the strip as it passes to the perforated roll 36. As the strip 43 passes upwardly on the face of the wheel 36, it is divided transversely into a series of narrow strips by means of a rotary cutter 48 which rotates in contact with the surface of the perforated roll. The severed portions of the strip 43 are held to the roll 3B by suction as previously described.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 6 that the hinged extension 2|a of the baffle 2| is longitudinally recessed from its free end and centrally, as indicated atv 49. It will be noted fur ther that the extremity of the hinged extension 2|a is slightly oifset and that the under side of the extension at each side of the recess 49 is beveled and shaped to conform to the curved surface of the perforated roll 36, so that when the hinged extension 2|a is forced downwardly, a cigarette supported on the top of said extension will be brought into a position for engagement with that one of the severed sections of the ignition band 43 which at the moment occupies a position at the top of the perforated roll 36 and which is exposed in the recess 49 of the extension 2m. Assuming now that a cigarette blank 2 supported in a position on the extension 2 I a as shown in Fig. 6 is rolled outwardly over the extension towards its outer end, it will be apparent that the severed section of the ignition band with which it contacts and which as previously described has received a coating of a suitable adhesive will be picked up and wound around the blank 2 at its mid section. In order to facilitate this 4pickup and to prevent the suction imposed on the interior of the perforated roll 36 from interfering therewith, means is provided for oscillating the valve 39 to cut off the suction from the perforations of the roll' 36 immediately below the severed section of the ignition band 43 which is about to be picked up by the blank 2. The mechanism by which this oscillation of the valve 39 is achieved will be dcscribed hereinafter.

Depression of the hinged extension 2 la to bring lthe cigarette blanks into pickup relation with the ignition band sections as described above is ef fected by means of the belt 25. As shown 1n Fig. 1, the pulley or roll 21, and the arms 29 which carry this roll are moved into the elevated position when the roller 33 of the lever 32 rides on the high part 34a of the cam 34. As the cam revolves, the roller 33 is permitted to drop to the lower portion of the cam, with the result that the lower run of the belt 26 presses downwardly upon the cigarette blank 2 which then rests as shown in Fig. 1 upon the outer end of the hinged extension 2| a of the baffle 2|, the weight of the arms 29, pulley 2T and of the belt forcing the part 2Ia downwardly into the depressed position as shown in Fig. 6. The cigarette blank then occupies the position shown in the lastnamed figure at one end of the severed portion 43a of the strip 43 which is exposed at the top of the perforated cylinder 36 in the recess 49 of the extension 2|a. The travel of the belt 26 now rolls the cigarette blank over the outer end of the extension 2|a and in engagement with the adhesive-coated surface of the severed portion 43a of the strip 93. Simultaneously the valve element 39 is moved to cut off the suction from the apertures underlying the strip 43a, with the result that the latter adhering to the rolling cigarette blank is wrapped in the form of a band around the mid section of the blank. As the blank leaves the extension 2|a, it passes onto a platform. 5|, the end of which closely adjoins the outer end of the part Zla., this platform being substantially horizontal. When the belt 29 is again elevated, the banded Iblank being released from engagement with the belt 2B remains stationary upon the platform 5| until the belt again moves downwardly as described above, when the latter again engages the banded blank and advances it to a predetermined further extent along the platform 5I.

The opposite end of the platform 5| lies in proximity to the periphery of a plurality of disk wheels 52, these Wheels being four in number in the present instance, as shown in Fig. 2. The peripheral edges of these wheels are provided with annular series of recesses or sockets for reception of the banded blanks as the latter pass from the platform 5|, and the rotary movement of the wheels 52 is synchronized with the movement of the belt 26 so that the blanks are accurately passed into the said sockets'. In these latterk sockets, the banded blanks are retained by means of a guard plate 53 which embraces a portion of the circumference of the Wheels as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This guard plate extends to a point adjacent the bottoms of the wheels 52. At an intermediate point in the guard plate 53, the latter is slotted for admission midway between the two inner wheels 52 of a rotary cutter blade 54, the banded blanks being carried on the wheels 52 downwardly into contact with this cutter disk and being severed by the latter `into two sections of equal length. The division of the banded blanks occurring at the mid section bisects the ignition band attached as previously described, thereby producing two cigarettes of yconventional length each provided at one end with an ignition band. These banded cigarettes are transferred from the wheels 52 at the bottom of the latter to two sets of peripherally socketed wheels 55, 55 and 56, 56 which rotate as indicated by the arrow in Fig. l and which in turn transfer the cigarettes to an endless belt conveyer 5'I which carries them from the machine.

From the foregoing description the general mode of operation will be understood. The mechanism by which the synchronized actuation of the various elements of the machine outlined above is obtained is as follows: By reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the framle carries at one side and near the bottom a bracket 58 which supports a motor 59. The shaft 5| of this motor carries a pinion 62 which meshes with a large gear 63 secured to one end of a shaft 64 journaled in the frame 'I of the machine. Fixed to this shaft are two disks 65 and 95 which constitute elements of two separate Geneva movement-s, the other elements of which are constituted respectively by escapement wheels 5T and 68. These latter wheels are respectively journaled on shafts 69 and Il projecting inwardly from one side of the frame. Each of the disks 65 and 66 carries a pin, 12 and 'I3 respectively,

93 which is carried by a shaft 99.

which engage the slots of the escapement wheels B'I and G8 in Well known manner to produce an intermittent rotation of these wheels. The wheel 68 has secured thereto a gear 'I4 which meshes with a gear 15, and the gear 'I5 in turn meshes with a gear 'i5 carried by the shaft I5. Through this gear train and the escapement Gli-$8, the chain conveyer I3, I3 is given an intermittent movement.

'Ihe motor 59 ralso effects an' intermittent rotation through the disk 95 and pin 'I2 of the escapement wheel B1, and to this wheel is connected a pinion TI coactive with a gear 'I8 on the shaft 'I9 which carries the transfer wheels 52, so that these transfer wheels also are given an intermittent movement. The shaft 'I9 carries a sprocket 9| which is connected through a chain 82 with a sprocket 83 on the shaft I2 which carries the transfer wheels The resulting intermittent rotary movement of the transfer Wheels 8 is synchronized as previously described with the intermittent movement of the chain conveyer I3, I3. The shaft I2 carries a second sprocket 84 which is connected through a chain 85 with a sprocket 89 on the shaft I which carries the roller 5.

A second gear Wheel 81 operatively connected with the escapement Wheel 91 meshes with a gear 88 journaled on a stub shaft 89 secured in the frame, and this gear 89 in turn meshes with a gear 9| on the shaft 3| which carries the pulley 35 of the belt 26 whereby through the escapement 55-51 the belt 26 is given an intermittent movementsynchronized with the movement of the chain lconveyer I3, I3 and also with the intermittent rotary movement of the transfer wheels 52.

Carried by the shaft 64 is a worm 92 which meshes with a worm wheel 93 carried by a shaft suitably journaled at 95, 95 in the machine and extending longitudinally of the latter. The shaft 91| carries a disk 96 having a projecting pin 9'! adapted to engage an escapement wheel Continuous rotation of the worm 92 accordingly results in an intermittent rotation of the shaft 99. 'Ihis shaft carries a pinion |9| which meshes with a gear |92 on a shaft |93, and this latter shaft carries also a gear |94 which meshes with a gear |95 secured to the hollow shaft 3l. This shaft as previously described carries the perforated roller 36, and through the transmission mechanism described this roller is given an intermittent rotation suitably synchronized with the intermittent movements of the chain conveyer I3, I3 and the belt 26.

Carried by the shaft 91| is a cam |66. This cam is engaged by a roller |91 at the lower end of a lever |98 which is journaled as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 on the shaft |93. The lever |98 carries at its upper end a segmental gear |99 which meshes with a pinion III secured to the shaft 38, which as previously described carries the valve element 39. Rotation of the shaft 94 with the cam |96, lever |98, segmental gear |99 and pinion III effects an oscillation within narrow limits of the shaft 38. This oscillation of the shaft 39, and consequently of the valve element' 39, is synchronized with the intermittent movementof the perforated disk39, and as previously described is of a character toI carry the valve 39 at predetermined intervals into a position such that suction is cut off from those apertures of the perforated roll 36 which immediately underlie the severed sect-ion of the strip 43 which lies at the top of the roller 36 and which {5L-T is about to be picked up by a cigarette blank. It will be noted that a spring II2 attached to the lower portion of the lever |08 functions to resiliently hold the roller |01 against the surface of the cam |06.

Carried by the shaft 31 is a gear H3 which meshes with a gear H4 on the shaft 46 which carries the adhesive applicator roll 45, and this roll is thereby rotated intermittently in synchronism with the intermittent rotation of the perforated roll 36.

From the foregoing description, the construction and operation of the machine will be readily understood. The double-length cigarette blanks 2 are fed successively to the chain conveyer I3, I3, are conducted by the latter to a point overlying the hinged extension 2la of the plate 2|, are carried downwardly on the hinged extension and rolled over the adhesive-coated ignition band by the belt 26, are then fed by the latter to the transfer wheels 52, are divided while on these wheels by the knife 54, and are subsequently transferred by the wheels 55 and 56 to the conveyor belt 5l. The perforated roll 35 is operated intermittently to feed the ignition bands into position for contact with the cigarette blanks, and the valve 39 functions synchronously with the other related parts of the mechanism to out ofi the suction from the individual ignition-band blanks as the latter are wound onto the cigarette blanks.

Iclaim:

l. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with a table, of means for depositing cigarette blanks successively on said table, means for rolling said blanks over the table, means for inserting an adhesive-coated strip of banding material in the path of said blanks as they roll over the table whereby said strip is caused to adhere to the rolling blank and is wound upon the latter, and means for dividing said blank upon a transverse line passing through 'the middle of said band to thereby produce two cigarettes each having a narrow adhering band at one end thereof.

2. In a machine for attaching ignition bands to cigarettes, the combination with a table, of means for rolling cigarette blanks over said table, said table having an opening therein, and means for positioning adhesive-coated strips of the ignition band material in said opening approximately at the table level whereby as the blanks are rolled over said table the bands are picked up adhesively and wound upon Said blanks.

3. In a machine for attaching ignition bands to cigarettes, the combination with a table and means for rolling a plurality of cigarettes over said table, said table having an aperture, and mechanism for introducing adhesive-coated strips of the banding material in said aperture for Contact with the individual cigarettes as the latter are rolled from the table whereby said bands are picked up adhesively by the blanks and wound upon the latter.

4. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with a table and means for rolling a plurality of cigarette blanks successively over said table, of means operating in synchronism with said rolling means for inserting an adhesivecoated strip of banding material in the path of each cigarette as it rolls over the table whereby the band is picked up and wound upon said blank, said rolling means comprising an endless belt positioned above said table and having a resilient face for Contact with said cigarettes.

5. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with a table comprising a section movable downwardly from the normal plane of said table and means for normally retaining said section in its elevated position, said movable section having an opening therein, of means operative in the depressed position of said movable section for positioning adhesive-coated strips of the banding material in said opening and approximately in the plane of the upper surface of said section, means for feeding a plurality of cigarettes over said table and successively onto said movable section, means for advancing said cigarettes by rolling movement over said movable section of the table, and means for depressing said movable section to bring each of said cigarettes into rolling Contact with a strip of said banding material positioned in said opening whereby as the cigarettes are rolled over said section the bands are picked up adhesively and wound upon the cigarettes.

6. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with a table comprising a section movable downwardly from the normal plane of said table and means for normally retaining said section in its elevated position, said movable section having an opening therein, of means operative in the depressed position of said movable section for positioning adhesive-coated strips of the banding material in said opening and approximately in the plane of the upper surface of said section, means for feeding a plurality of cigarettes over said table and successively onto said movable section, means for advancing said cigarettes by rolling movement over said movable section of the table, means for depressing said movable section to bring each of said cigarettes into rolling contact with a strip of said banding material positioned in said opening whereby as the cigarettes are rolled over said section the bands are picked up adhesively and wound upon the cigarettes, said rolling means comprising an endless belt conveyer having one end thereof positioned above said movable table section for engagement with the cigarettes, and means for intermittently depressing the said end of the conveyer to force said movable table section downwardly into the depressed position.

7. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with a table comprising a section movable downwardly from the normal plane of said table and means for normally retaining said section in its elevated position, said movable section having an opening therein, of means operative in the depressed position of said movable section for positioning adhesive-coated strips of the banding material in said opening and approximately in the plane of the upper surface of said section, said positioning means comprising a perforated drum positioned below said movable section of the table and said opening and provided with suction means operative through said perforations to retain a strip of the banding material in contact with the drum surface, a cutter element co-operative with said drum for dividing said strip transversely into a plurality of narrow sections, said drum when the movable table section is depressed presenting one of said severed band sections through said opening approximately at the level of the upper surface of said table section, means for coating the outer exposed face of said banding strip with an adhesive, means for feeding cigarettes successively to said movable table section, and means for intermittently depressing the said table section and for advancing the cigarettes thereover by rolling action and in contact with said adhesive-coated sections of the banding material whereby the said banding elements are picked up adhesively and wound upon said cigarettes.

8. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with means for supporting an adhesivecoated band in predetermined position in said machine, of mechanism for translating a cigarette blank from a remote position and by movement transverse to the adhesive-coated surface of the band into contact with said surface to thereby insure adherence of the band to the blank, and means above the cigarette blank for subsequently advancing the blank by rolling motion over the band to thereby Wind the band about the blank.

9. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with means for supporting an adhesivecoated band in predetermined position in said machine, of means for supporting a cigarette blank in a position removed transversely from the adhesive-coated surface of said band, mechanism for translating said blank in the transverse direction into contact with said coated surface, and means above the cigarette blank for subsequently advancing the blank by rolling motion over the band to thereby wind the band about the blank.

10. In a cigarette banding machine, the co-mbination With means for supporting an adhesivecoated band in predetermined position in said machine, of means for supporting a cigarette blank in a position removed from and above said band, and mechanism for moving said blank do-Wnwardly into Contact With the adhesive-coated surface of the band, said mechanism including means for subsequently advancing the blank by rolling motion over the band to thereby Wind the band about the blank.

il. In a cigarette banding machine, the combination with mechanism for successively feeding adhesive-coated bands into a predetermined position in the machine, mechanism for successively feeding cigarette blanks into position removed from and overlying said bands, and other mechanism for moving said blanks individually and successively downwardly into contact with the coated surfaces of the respective bands, said latter mechanism including means for subsequently advancing the blanks by rolling motion over the bands to thereby Wind the bands about the blanks.

ANSLEY H. FOX. 

